CGraSS Open Workshop: "Support for Childcare at University"

Fumika SATO
Financial and Administrative Director,
Center for Gender Research and Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University

【The article below is the same as the article that appears in the fourteenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.】
　
(Photos from the Workshop)

　National Universities, now termed "National University Corporations," operate based on mid-term objectives and plans that are determined every six years. In its second mid-term plans, Hitotsubashi University has finally stated its intention to "ensure support for childbirth and child-rearing in view of achieving a balance with research activities."
　Our Center for Gender Research and Social Sciences (CGraSS) has consistently positioned itself as an organization for education and research. This reflected our view that issues of welfare and administration should come under the purview of the university since our own activities are necessarily limited by a lack of human resources. Consequently, we must admit to feeling some hesitation in holding the open workshop, "Childcare Support Services at Universities: Toward a New Hitotsubashi University," in January 2011. However, no other organization seemed to be able to take the lead on this issue, and we couldn't just wait around hoping for concrete measures to fall from the sky. Thus, we decided to organize the workshop, aiming to learn from the various eorts of other universities and to share information.
　Due to a delay in publicity for the event, there were only a dozen or so participants registered at the beginning of the year. Overall, the responses we received from people seemed to dier according to their situation. Those who had somehow overcome such problems in the past tended to look back on their past experiences nostalgically but no longer seemed to feel any sense of urgency. In contrast, the problems seemed too distant for many undergraduate students who were yet to face them. Even some graduate students declared that they had more pressing issues to worry about. Moreover, many of those who currently have children did not have the time for such an event, even though they were the ones who most needed it. Therefore, we decided to set up a temporary day-care center on the day of the workshop in order to encourage participation by such busy parents.
　Calling on people to participate in this workshop was quite a different experience from our efforts for other events. I was rendered speechless by the contrast between the cold indifference of many women and the encouraging shouts from men, and I was disappointed by some people's lack of empathy for others in need. I also became doubtful about whether those who were supportive of our cause would be as passionate about other social causes. In the midst of my exhaustion, however, I was motivated by a message from one professor approaching retirement. She told us that in her youth she had eagerly collected information for the establishment of a childcare center at Hitotsubashi University. Despite several opportunities, the campaign had eventually failed because the university was deemed too small to accommodate their plans. She also expressed her appreciation to us for holding the workshop, which was "like a dream come true" for her. I was moved beyond words by the thought of the dream she had given up so long ago.
　As for the results, we fortunately had more than eighty participants filling the hall with excitement on the day. With our ardent appeals to the president and vice president receiving favorable responses, we succeeded in relaying the urgent voices of those in need. In light of our objective to bring scattered people together, I think we can call this workshop a success. Of course, this success is only the first small step in the long journey that lies ahead.